Mere-Madre-Mother

"You never know a man until you watch him and his mother together."

Joanna Nasset - Junction City, Oregon (Parade Magazine)

NAFTA -- the North American Free Trade Agreement became law in the USA in 1992 thus creating one of the largest "free trade" (nearly "free" that is since tariffs and other restrictions were to be phased out over several years) areas in the world. This agreement open the markets of Canada, Mexico, and the USA to each others' goods and services thus benefiting customers via lower prices and better products.

Not only do these three countries share this open marketplace they also celebrate the national holiday of "Mothers' Day" - May 10 in Mexico and May 13 in the USA and Canada. Since today is Mothers' Day in the USA I want to give thanks that I have my mother in my life. Her wise counsel, love, and friendship have been a blessing throughout my life.

As an aspiring historian I can't help but focus on the deliberations of the Founding Fathers of the USA as they crafted the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution. To me the phrase "all men are created equal" literally means all "humans" but from 1789 when the Constitution was ratified until 1920 women had to petition and fight for their equal rights in terms of the ability to cast votes. I love the stories from the Western USA where women were elected to serve in public official PRIOR to 1920 -- amazing isn't it that the country did not want women to SELECT public officials but in some states voters chose women to SERVE!!

I hope my readers (yes both of you!!) were able to spend some time with their sister, mother, wife, step mother, foster mother, mother in law , or other significant woman in their life today. We owe so much to those that brought us into this world that officially recognizing them on only one day of the year - Mothers' Day - seems unjust. The few hours I was able to visit with my mother this weekend were precious indeed.

Merci, gracias, and thank you to mothers around the world.

Todd